Stretcher for fractures.



T. A. GHRISTY.

STRETGHER FOR FRAGTURBS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1911.

990,,525a Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Wnesses THOMAS A. CHRISTY, .OF HOT SPRINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

STRETCHER FOR FRAGTURES.

Application filed January 19, 1911.

To all whom it may COTLCdW/L.

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. CHRIs'rY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hot Springs, in the county of Fall River and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Stretcher for Fractures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to beds, and more especially to the attachments thereto which are adapted for surgical use in the stretch ing of a fractured limb while its fracture is knitting; and the object of the same is the production of an attachment adapted for use upon iron bedsteads as at present employed in hospitals.

To this end the invention consists in a pulley housing so constructed that it may be hung at any desired height on the cross rod of the foot board of a metal bedstead, and spurs on the housing which rest against two adjacent upright rods thereof; all as hereinafter more fully described and claimed and as shown in the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is an elevation of a portion of a bedstead with my attachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the foot board of an iron bedstead with my attachment applied thereto, viewed from the rear. Figs. 3 and 4: are side elevations of different forms of my attachment.

In the drawings the letter L indicates the limb of a patient which in the present instance has been fractured or which is being contracted by the agonies of rheumatism. In either event it is well known that the limb draws up during treatment, and fracture apparatus have been designed for stretching it gently during convalescence. It is common to attach a cord or rope R to the limb and lead it over a pulley P to some remote point where it is attached to a spring or weight which exerts a gentle pull upon the limb, and to this extent my invention uses the ordinary method now employed.

The letter C designates a cross bar and the letters U the upright bars or rods of the foot board of the bedstead, and the letter K designates a knob thereof if there be one.

Coming now more particularly to the present invention, the numeral 5 designates the housing for the pulley P, which housing is by preference made of wood so that it will not scratch or injure the finest bedstead. Its lower end is forked as seen at 6, and on a bolt 7 through said fork the pulley P is jour- Sp.ecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Serial No-603,564.

naled. Its upper portion is cut with a plurality of notches 8, preferably entering the wooden housing from opposite sides as shown. If desired a hook 9 may project from its upper extremity, and this hook or any of the notches are of suflicient size to inclose the cross rod C of the bedstead. The shank of this hook is swiveled as at 10 into the upper end of the housing, and has a head 11 at its lower extremity which rests within a socket 12 in the body of the hous ing above the uppermost notch 8 whereby the upper wall of the latter has no projection in it which would mar the finest bedstead.

The numeral 13 designates a series of holes formed transversely through the housing, and 14 is a pin inserted transversely through one of said holes and its extremities forming spurs which project from opposite sides of the housing as best seen in Fig. 2, their length being such that when the housing is in place they will project beyond two adjacent uprights or bars U and rest against them as best indicated in Fig. 2.

In the use of this device, one of the notches 8 or the hook 9 is hung upon the cross bar C of the foot board of the bedstead, that notch being employed which brings the pulley P to the desired height. In Fig. 1 the rope R is shown as passing beneath the pulley and led back upward over the bedstead to some remote spring or weight, but it often occurs that the pulley may be hung at a lower point so that the rope R will lead over said pulley and directly downward to a weight. Also it often occurs that conditions require the patients limb to be elevated somewhat, and the tension upon it to be applied in such direction as to pull toward the foot board and slightly upward, or sometimes slightly downward. All of these conditions can be met by the use of this improved attachment, because by reason of the many notches it can be hung at any height desired within reasonable limits. The spurs projecting late-rally from the sides of the housing rest against two adjacent upright rods U of the bedstead foot board, and prevent the entire housing from swinging inward toward the patient under the strain set up by the weight of the spring.

The entire device hangs outside the foot board and out of the way of the attendant or the bed clothing or patient. It is obvi ous that it can be instantaneously unhooked from the cross rod or bar 0 and removed, when desired; and it can be reapplied with the same celerity. I have said that the housing is made of Wood because that would avoid scratching a bedstead of the finest finish, but it is quite possible to make it of other material which would also avoid scratches and yet be antiseptic and impenetrable, without having the grains or pores of wood which might admit germs or moisture.

The device may be made in a number of sizes and may be modified in detail and ornamentation without departing from the spirit of my invent-ion.

Vhat is claimed as new is l. The herein described stretcher for fracture, the same comprising an upright housing having a series of notches out into its body from opposite edges and its lower end forked, a pulley journaled on a transverse pivot through the arms of said fork, the body of the housing having a series of holes through it above its fork and parallel with said pivot, and a pin removably inserted in one of said holes and projecting at its ends beyond both sides of the housing, for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein described stretcher for fracture, the same comprising an upright housing having a series of notches cut into its body from opposite edges and its lower end forked, a pulley journaled on a transverse pivot through the arms of said fork, a hook Whose shank is swiveled in the upper eX- tremity of the housing and headed at its lower end, the uppermost notch having a recess rising above its upper wall to receive the head of said hook and the body of the housing having a series of holes through it above its fork and parallel with said pivot, and a pin removably inserted in one of said holes and projecting at its ends beyond both sides of the housing, for the purpose set forth. a

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS A. CHRISTY.

VVit-nesses:

VERNON ROBERTS, .EDWARD J. VVHEATLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five'cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

